By Howard Packowitz
BLOOMINGTON – The deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history has prompted an Illinois Congressman, with deep McLean County ties, to lead efforts banning fully-automatic devices, such as those allegedly used by the Las Vegas gunman.
Republican Representative Adam Kinzinger, whose 16th District covers Livingston County and part of Ford County, has written the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms urging a thorough re-evaluation of bump-stocks, which were reported to have been used by killer Stephen Paddock to dramatically speed up the discharge rate of his firearms.
Authorities say 58 people were killed and hundreds more injured Sunday night during a country music festival on the Las Vegas strip.
In the letter, Kinzinger expressed surprise that ATF, in 2010 and 2012, determined bump-stocks were compliant with federal law.
Kinzinger said ATF must re-evaluate these devices, and he hopes the bureau now finds the mechanisms “violate the spirit, if not the letter, of the law.”
Meantime, Kinzinger said he and his colleagues will look at legislative remedies because, according the Congressman, “these fully-automatic simulator devices have no place in civil society.”
Kinzinger is a Bloomington native, an Illinois State University graduate, and a former McLean County Board member.
U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis (R-Taylorville) joined in the letter.
“Fully-automatic weapons have been illegal in the U.S. for the last 30 years, but recent technology has made it easier to legally simulate a fully-automatic weapon. Until this week, I had never even heard of a bump-stock so we are asking the ATF for more information – to be educated on the issue and current law,” Davis said in a release. “To be clear, those who believe that gun control or one law is going to put an end to mass shootings are, unfortunately, severely shortsighted. As someone who experienced gun violence a few months ago, I know all too well that this is a much larger issue of hate, of mental illness, and of evil and we cannot lose sight of that.”
Howard Packowitz can be reached at [email protected]
